So, I'm in Year 12 and some of you may have seen some of my threas or posts in the Dentistry section. But, I've just recently set my sights on Medicine instead. I only have 3 weeks Dentistry work experience, no hospital experience as of yet, but hope to get some sorted asap. What do you recommend, as it really as come a bit late, but surely if I get AT LEAST 1 week at a hospital or wherever, and 1 or 2 week/s at a care home, is this okay? What do you think I should do? I know, I have changed my mind a little bit too late, but I just couldn't see myself as a Dentist for 40 years of my life, whereas there are endless possiblities in Medicine.

So, to those of you who applied and were accepted into St Andrews, what were your grade predictions in each of your subjects, what was your UKCAT score (how to St Andrews use this in comparison to elsewhere) and what was your work experience???? Help please.

(Original post by resortini)
So, I'm in Year 12 and some of you may have seen some of my threas or posts in the Dentistry section. But, I've just recently set my sights on Medicine instead. I only have 3 weeks Dentistry work experience, no hospital experience as of yet, but hope to get some sorted asap. What do you recommend, as it really as come a bit late, but surely if I get AT LEAST 1 week at a hospital or wherever, and 1 or 2 week/s at a care home, is this okay? What do you think I should do? I know, I have changed my mind a little bit too late, but I just couldn't see myself as a Dentist for 40 years of my life, whereas there are endless possiblities in Medicine.

So, to those of you who applied and were accepted into St Andrews, what were your grade predictions in each of your subjects, what was your UKCAT score (how to St Andrews use this in comparison to elsewhere) and what was your work experience???? Help please.

Have a look in this thread. The specific post containing links to profiles of people who applied to St Andrews can be found here.

St Andrews UKCAT policy: Each year the UKCAT scores of all those who apply to St Andrews are ranked. The ranking is divided into bandings and points are allocated per banding. The test result is worth 10% of the overall admissions assessment score.

(Original post by resortini)
So, I'm in Year 12 and some of you may have seen some of my threas or posts in the Dentistry section. But, I've just recently set my sights on Medicine instead. I only have 3 weeks Dentistry work experience, no hospital experience as of yet, but hope to get some sorted asap. What do you recommend, as it really as come a bit late, but surely if I get AT LEAST 1 week at a hospital or wherever, and 1 or 2 week/s at a care home, is this okay? What do you think I should do? I know, I have changed my mind a little bit too late, but I just couldn't see myself as a Dentist for 40 years of my life, whereas there are endless possiblities in Medicine.

So, to those of you who applied and were accepted into St Andrews, what were your grade predictions in each of your subjects, what was your UKCAT score (how to St Andrews use this in comparison to elsewhere) and what was your work experience???? Help please.

So, is 2 weeks okay for work experience (ie. in a hospital or wherever) then maybe could do a week in a care home? What do you recommend, because this has just taken me so long to decide the right career for me, and have got ambitions to go far in a career in Medicine, changed from Dentistry. So will that 3 weeks Dentistry work experience come in useful at all when applying to Medicine? Extra curricular (pretty much all I have) - play loads of golf, decent golfer, sixth form chemistry prefect, build the odd computer, that's about it really....

(Original post by resortini)
So, is 2 weeks okay for work experience (ie. in a hospital or wherever) then maybe could do a week in a care home? What do you recommend, because this has just taken me so long to decide the right career for me, and have got ambitions to go far in a career in Medicine, changed from Dentistry. So will that 3 weeks Dentistry work experience come in useful at all when applying to Medicine? Extra curricular (pretty much all I have) - play loads of golf, decent golfer, sixth form chemistry prefect, build the odd computer, that's about it really....

1. helps to quote
2. 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months - whatever. can you talk about it at interview?
3. all experience is useful whether in a shop, dentist, hospice etc etc. it doesn't need to be in a hosp. what did you learn and what can you say about it? why medicine etc etc
4. stop worrying about dentistry or the fact that you changed. nobody cares, just focus on medicine
5. you don't needs lots of extra curriculars, just enough so you can show you do things outside academic work. golf = fabulous. there's a staff/student tournament fyi

Thanks for your advice. So, maybe I could mention in personal statement and then at the interview I did take part in 3 weeks work experience Dentistry related, but found it was not right for me, and allowed me to make that decision, as well as being able to understand different experiences of a wide variety of patients, that also comes up with Medicine, and life as a Doctor? I don't play an instrument, never done Duke of Edinburgh, no Sports Learder or whatever it's called, only golf and that's it really.

What work experience do you suggest i get before it's too late? 2 weeks at a hospital, maybe in A+E, what do I do?

(Original post by Hygeia)
Have a look in this thread. The specific post containing links to profiles of people who applied to St Andrews can be found here.

St Andrews UKCAT policy: Each year the UKCAT scores of all those who apply to St Andrews are ranked. The ranking is divided into bandings and points are allocated per banding. The test result is worth 10% of the overall admissions assessment score.

(Original post by resortini)
So, I'm in Year 12 and some of you may have seen some of my threas or posts in the Dentistry section. But, I've just recently set my sights on Medicine instead. I only have 3 weeks Dentistry work experience, no hospital experience as of yet, but hope to get some sorted asap. What do you recommend, as it really as come a bit late, but surely if I get AT LEAST 1 week at a hospital or wherever, and 1 or 2 week/s at a care home, is this okay? What do you think I should do? I know, I have changed my mind a little bit too late, but I just couldn't see myself as a Dentist for 40 years of my life, whereas there are endless possiblities in Medicine.

So, to those of you who applied and were accepted into St Andrews, what were your grade predictions in each of your subjects, what was your UKCAT score (how to St Andrews use this in comparison to elsewhere) and what was your work experience???? Help please.

well my UCKAT was not scary but quite good - cant remember exactly but it only counts for like 10% of points at st a's. I only had a week in a hospital and a week in a rural GP so you dont need to ott on that front - although you should make sure you try to experience as much as you can for your sake - to see if its for you.

The fact that you realised you didnt want to be a dentist is actualy very positive and you could certainly spin your dentistry experience into a very positive and relevant light. My offer is AAB (+ b in GCSE bio oddly enough) and my predictions AAA - but I think at st a's the interview is quite important if you get one - and its quite scientific - they ask questions around a science article so get reading around the subject.